


Resting Mind

by thvnderstorm



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: (?), F/F, Go Easy On Me, Good Mordred (Merlin), Good Morgana (Merlin), Gwen is Queen, M/M, My First AO3 Post, My First Fanfic, Truth or Dare, another hunting trip, but have barely ever written before, but merlin is still hiding, i really want to write a good fic, magic is legal, merlin/mordred tension, possible druid telepathy, the knights are cool, with Morgana
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 10:06:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25348930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thvnderstorm/pseuds/thvnderstorm
Summary: Merlin was tired. The past weeks had been stressful in a different way than normal. Gwen and Morgana convince Arthur to take his knights and Merlin on a trip to relax. Away from the castle, the group learns more about each of its members. Will this raise tension upon returning to Camelot?
Relationships: Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Merlin/Mordred (Merlin)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello there! this is my first ever fanfic and one of my first serious stories/writings,, with that in mind, i hope yall enjoy!
> 
> i'd love to get at least a few chapters in before i drift off, but im unsure about alot of things, and my inspiration comes and goes. oh well. feel free to leave a comment/review about the story or if you have any tips
> 
> have fun!

Ch. 1

Merlin was tired. The past weeks had been stressful in a different way than normal. Since he'd arrived in Camelot years ago, most of Merlin's sources of trouble had been clear, immediate. But lately with new negotiations, fights in the lower town, and the lack of prolonged rain-- such mundane occurrences compared to the battles he had seen-- everyone was exhausted.

\---------------------------

Arthur Pendragon sat in his chambers pouring over reports. Or he had been ten minutes ago. He was currently spinning an empty bowl on its side and daydreaming while the reports sat half-reviewed on the other end of the table. The king's energy had gone and he could tell most of the castle was sapped as well. They could not get anything done like this. Effort had become useless and those who still sincerely tried miss-stepped too often to make much progress. Arthur needed a break. They all did. He was so busy trying to find half-thoughts that the last of his energy left and sleep took hold.

The soft sound of footsteps nearby awoke Arthur later in the evening from a nap. The candle lights quickly chased away the remnants of his dreams, though he recalled a distant sense of content. Seconds later Gwen entered and made her way to Arthur. Deep gold rays of the evening sun flashed across the hem of her gown as she passed through lines of light from the windows. She sat across from him and huffed out a laugh after noticing the way his hair flattened on the side that had been against the table a minute before. The queen reached out a hand to comb down the tufts that stuck out with her fingers. Arthur noticed the slight droop of her shoulders, which rose as Gwen took a deep breath and began to speak. 

"The men are weary, my king-" Gwen dropped her hand from his hair to his wrist and continued- "You know they would walk to the ends of the Earth for you but that means nothing if they lack the effort to lift a sword once they get there."

"I know that, but what can I do?" Arthur asked, half to himself. "I can hardly leave Camelot when so much needs to be done. And the knights' are working hard to make sure no new issues arise. Leon knows we have our hands well filled as it is. I'm not sure they could be convinced to take a break even if I ordered it. Well," he mused, "Perhaps Gwaine would."

They both laughed, savoring the sound as it rang out like bells.

"Listen," said Guinevere. "Morgana and I have been thinking-” she bit her lip and smiled- “We agree that you lot are of no use to us as long as you continue to mope around like hounds in the summer heat. Listen!-" she called as Arthur opened his mouth to object- "We can run the kingdom perfectly well for just a few days. Your tasks are not as big as you seem to think. It is okay, Arthur. Go on a hunting trip, or whatever you do to relax. Bring Merlin with you. Take a few days off. All will be safe until you return, I promise."

Arthur wanted to find a solid reason to stay. He struggled briefly, but his queen’s assurances had given a light hope to the side of him that desperately needed a rest. Arthur's eyes wandered out the window to an image of soldiers and knights sparring. The movements, though determined, appeared more sluggish than normal. He knew his knights' limits and knew that they were approaching, even if the men refused to admit it to his face. 

His mind was made up. He had his doubts, but the King trusted his Queen. He smiled then, feeling like he'd let out a breath that had been held for far too long. 

"Alright then. I'll make Merlin prepare the horses and we’ll depart tomorrow at first light." 

“Good.”

Arthur stood, stretching as he started towards the door. He paused and looked back at Gwen who stayed at the desk. Candlelight reflected off of the curls that framed her face, creating a halo effect. Fitting. He felt his expression soften. 

"Thank you, Guinevere, truly."


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

Mordred awoke at the first sunray coming through the window. Waking up at dawn was no longer a novelty. He had not been a knight nearly as long as his senior brothers-in-arms, but his body had already fallen mostly into the training routine.

He had lain there for a moment in his white sleeping garments, eyes closed, though light created orange paintings under his lids. He wanted to roll back over and hide under the sheets. To sleep the day away. It made him feel childish. He dreaded the world of standing up. Being a knight of Camelot meant that it was Mordred's duty to help, or more specifically, resolve every little disagreement in the town (anyone could tell that the kingdom needed no more troubles right now).

After a minute of laying in stillness, Mordred finally sat up and mentally began to prepare himself for the day. Physically, he got dressed. Mordred was half-way through pushing his feet into socks when he noticed a pile on the chair in the corner of his room. What was this? It was his hunting gear.  
All of a sudden, a memory from the evening before returned to him. Mordred almost laughed for two reasons; firstly in relief. Secondly, at how much of an idiot he felt at the moment. He would not be, in fact, spending the day around the marketplace dispersing arguments. Arthur and the knights were taking a break.  
\----------------------

The morning was new enough to still have the chill from the night before. Merlin's boots darkened with dew from the cool grass they trudged through. He'd been up for the past forty minutes readying the horses and packing cooking supplies and spices to last their trip. Even though the purpose would be relaxation, someone still had to cook, lest they all get food poisoning from Arthur's attempts.

The morning fog had just lifted from the treeline of the forest when the King and his knights arrived. Their scarlet capes stood out like roses at a funeral against the cool morning light. However, their faces were as happy as ever. The knights were still on castle grounds yet already a weight had lifted off all of their shoulders.

"Ahh, finally some nice weather," Gwaine commented cheerfully. Merlin thought he looked the most excited for their little getaway. Already flashing smiles and joking with Percival and Mordred. 

Speaking of Mordred, Merlin was inclined to feel a bit shocked when he had first learned that Arthur had included the boy in their group, but quickly smothered the thought. Of course, Arthur would bring him along. Mordred was a fine knight who had grown rather close to the little group recently.

"-lin. Merlin!" Merlin had been so busy fretting silently over Mordred he had failed to notice Arthur, who was now waving his hand in front of Merlin's face, nearly shouting. 

"Don't you worry about me, Merlin. I'll just stand over here guessing if the horses are ready. Really, though. One would think you'd be happy to have a break, not that you do much anyways." 

Merlin scoffed. He and Arthur— ever the drama queen— both knew he helped out as much as or more than anyone else. He also knew that Arthur was a dollop-head, and that deep down he was glad to see his friend’s happiness.

"Of course I'm happy for another hunting trip,” Merlin shot back. “There's just so much fun in killing wild animals." Arthur rolled his eyes but they both struggled not to smile. 

It was nice to see the knights energized again, thought Merlin. They were mounting the horses and were beginning to trot off, the group had not left the courtyard yet, but already each one of them seemed lighter with the same easy energy that blew through their cloaks, causing the tips to ruffle and swirl. In the time it took to depart from the castle walls, the sun had cracked above the treeline. Its silvery morning light shone off of Arthur and Leon’s fair hair, and all of the knights’ chainmail.

As they entered the cover of the forest, the knights started their chattering. Merlin studied Mordred behind him when the boy’s face was turned away. He did not talk as much as Gwaine or Leon, but smiled good-naturedly at the jests. Why must Mordred seem so nice?. Merlin felt guilt at times for acting so cold to the young knight, but all he had been taught warned against trusting Mordred, the Druid-boy, the one Arthur was destined to fall to. 

The foliage cast patterns across the party. Arthur leads the way into the forest, Merlin chatting by his side. At the first fork, the king turns east.   
Merlin twists around to look back over smiling knights at the stone walls of Camelot, rising in the distance. He thought of Gwen and Morgana, who were still in the castle, likely waking soon, ready to take care of the kingdom until Arthur came back. He knew he was lucky to have those two, not sure if he would have survived without them.  
\-------------------------------

"Sire, maybe we can stop at the upcoming stream to rest. Besides, I-I had kind of hoped we would leave to escape the heat," Leon says to Arthur after nearly two hours of riding. It had not yet reached noon and already the air pressed hot against them. Arthur sweated under his chainmail, which seemed to amplify the heat. 

He turned apologetically to Leon, noticing the other flushed faces awaiting his response. 

"I think it would be best if we put as much space between us and Camelot as we can for the first day." He could see the crestfallen expressions of his knights twist forward to face the path once more. "We'll set up camp early," Arthur added. Just one day to get them a fair distance out- then the knights and Merlin could take as much time as they desired.


End file.
